There exist a number of unpowered lighter-than-air systems for use, inter alia, as aerial surveillance or wireless relay platforms. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,398,745 and 2,431,938 to Jalbert, there are described kite-balloons for such use. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,273 to Cristoffel Jr, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,998 to R. Allsopp, and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,695 to Talamo, there are described various configurations of balloon/kite vehicles, for ensuring stable flight in various wind conditions. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,555,932 to Mizzi, there is described a combined buoyant airfoil for use in generating electric wind power of for aerial advertising. Such combination balloon/kite systems are also available commercially for surveillance and advertising use, such as the SkyDoc™ Aerostat, supplied by Floatograph Technologies LLC, of Silver Spring Md., or the Helikite, supplied by Allsopp Helikites Ltd of Fordingbridge, Hampshire, UK. Such systems have been used for military and civilian use, and the data generated has been described as conveyed to and from the ground station by means of wireless, cable or optical fiber.
The disclosures of each of the publications mentioned in this section and in other sections of the specification, are hereby incorporated by reference, each in its entirety.